Combining Experimental Data, Computational Fluid Dynamics, and Six-Degree of Freedom Simulation to Develop a Guidance Actuator for a Supersonic Projectile

Abstract

A joint effort between the Georgia Tech Research Institute and the Army Research Lab successfully used a combination of numerical and experimental results to demonstrate the performance of a guidance actuator for a supersonic projectile. The use of computational and experimental approaches greatly enhanced the understanding of how the actuators worked as well enabled the program to be completed for a lower cost than if either the modelling or the experiments had been neglected. Wind tunnel experiments were used with computational fluid dynamics results to provide aerodynamic coefficients for six-degree of freedom (6-DOF) simulations. The 6-DOF simulations were used to predict the performance of the projectile in the range, thus ensuring that good range data were acquired and reducing the necessary number of set-up rounds. It was found that there were cases where experimental methods were necessary, although the modelling provided the researchers with a greater detail of flow interactions and provided forces that were difficult to measure.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA545636

Entities

People

  • K. C. Massey
  • S. I. Silton

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Actuators
  • Boundary Layer
  • Coefficients
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Computational Science
  • Coordinate Systems
  • Engineering
  • Experimental Data
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Geometry
  • Guidance
  • Mach Number
  • Military Research
  • Projectiles
  • Simulations
  • Three Dimensional
  • Wind Tunnels

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Fluid Dynamics.
  • Robotics and Automation.

Technology Areas

  • Hypersonics
  • Hypersonics - Hypersonic Flow